John and Becky Volk of Lemon Computers – Contributed photo

In case you missed it – John and Becky Volk are now running their Lemon Computers business out of an office up on Spring Street by Harbor Vet. Originally working out of their garage, they quietly moved into this office space about a year ago and have been selling and servicing computers from there ever since. Right after you pass the water tank and Lampard Road on the right, turn left into the business park at 849 Spring Street. They’re in unit C-2 next door to The Tailor Shop.

When they’re not working part time at their other jobs, John and Becky tag-team it at the computer shop. They offer computer sales and service including custom builds, virus scanning & removal, and protection against malware & phishing scams on both PC and Mac. They also do on-site service calls.

Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM in the shop and then 2:00 to 5:00 PM for house calls.

Race Officials ready for action. L-R: Alicia Christensen, Morgan Johnston, Maddie Ovenell, & Scott Zehner – Contributed photo

41 Years Running! Island Rec and Xtreme Fitness invite you to take part in the 41st Annual Friday Harbor 8.8k Loop Run/Walk scheduled for a 9:00 am start on Saturday August 18, 2018. People of all ages enjoy running or walking in this race.

Register by July 31st and pay the early fee, $20 for kids 12 and under and $25 for racers 13 and older; these fees increase by $5 starting on August 1st. All fees include race entry, a free pass into the San Juan County fair, an event t-shirt, and new this year Finisher Medals to the first 130 people across the finish line. Register online at www.islandrec.org, or in person at the Island Rec office, opened M-F, 11:00am-5:00pm, located at 580 Guard St.

Race number and shirts can be picked up the Friday before Race day at the Island Rec Office from 11am-5pm. Runner check-in and day of registrations takes place in the Wells Fargo Parking Lot, located on the corner of Argyle and Spring Street from 8:00am-8:45am. The race starts promptly at 9:00 am on the corner of Spring & 2nd St.

Please contact Morgan Johnston at [email protected] if you are interested in sponsorship or volunteering for this event. Call Island Rec at 378-4953 for more information and registration.

Michel Vekved – Contributed photo

Friends of the San Juans (Friends) announces the addition of Michel Vekved as Director of Philanthropy. Michel will be responsible for increasing the frequency and reach to our community, cultivating and strengthening long term relationships, strategic planning for legacy, and developing major gifts.

“I am deeply honored to join the Friends and work with an exceptional staff, stakeholders and members who support and further the mission of protecting and restoring the Salish Sea for people and nature. It will be a privilege to share my passion for our island environment.”

Prior to joining Friends Michel built her nonprofit management and fundraising skill set with several local nonprofits including the Friends of Moran, SJC Conservation District and the Community Foundation. Michel brings a strong intuition toward donor relations and a focus for stewarding authentic relationships as soundly as protecting the environment. Continue Reading

Here’s a note from the Land Bank regarding Mount Grant Preserve…

Click to enlarge

Access to Mount Grant Preserve is via a private road, Richard Lee Lane, which is off West Valley Road. The current parking area and first 1/5 mile of road are on an easement over privately owned land. The barbed wire fence, floodlights, and security cameras in the current parking area are part of that privately owned land and were installed by the property owner to deter unwanted behaviors.

The Land Bank asks that you please respect private property and do not trespass. And, as with all Land Bank preserves, Mount Grant Preserve is day use only, and follows the county ordinance requiring dogs to be leashed and Leave No Trace Principles.

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our office at 360-378-4402 or email [email protected].

SJC Auditor Milene Henley adds to her notice from yesterday…

After my recent post about the “Primary Election – What’s New?” I was reminded by an astute Lopez reader that the long ballot has a very important second side. That long list of Senate candidates not only required special paper, it also pushed local issues to the back of the ballot.

On the back, Lopez voters will find a measure to pay for “educational programs and operational support.” This is the district’s last chance to renew its existing levy before the State assumes school levies next year. Make sure you don’t miss the second page!

Need more information about the measure? The online voters’ guide, available at sanjuanco.com/elections, has information about all candidates and measures on the primary ballot. Or contact the Elections Office at (360) 378-3357, or [email protected], for assistance.

This story was written by Brad Fincher

The San Juan County Fair is the largest community event of the year. Always in the third week of August, we consistently have over 20,000 visitors/locals/volunteers come to the fairgrounds over a four day period. With this many people, unfortunately a lot of garbage and waste is produced. So, the Fair Staff must continually come up with ways to support a cleaner, less wasteful event.

This year we are providing all food vendors with a preferred list of products to use such as all paper products (napkins, plates, and cups), wooden products (skewers, chopsticks) and aluminum cans and drink boxes. We are discouraging plastic and wax coated products, including utensils and lids, wrap and bags. We remind them every year of the county ordinance banning Styrofoam (County ordinance 1-2010) and ask them to not use pre-packaged, non-recyclable material like chip bags and condiment packs. We also challenge our vendors to find an alternate to the plastic straw.

Here is how you, the Fairgoer can help: Continue Reading

Katerina Wen – Contributed photo

For those of you who have taken Self Care Parts I & II with Katerina; continue your education! Explore how improving the inner health of your organs will greatly improve your outward appearance. Beauty is always generated from the inside out. Learn how to read the signs to diagnose problems, deficiencies or imbalances from your skin, hair and nails.

Katerina has graduated from six world renowned yoga teacher training programs and earned her certification as a yoga therapist for children with special needs in 1999. Katerina has also trained in Hospice direct care and has been serving the San Juan Hospice since 2011. Teaching from a place of love and compassion has been the principle of Katerina’s work for over 2 decades as she has an innate ability and passion in working with people of all ages.

Join Katerina and other San Juan Island community members as they work together to highlight the beauty and satisfaction of self-improvement!

Ages 18+: Sep. 17-26 (6pm-7:30pm), on Mondays and Wednesdays of every week. Cost: Early Fee (before Sep. 6)- $76; $81 thereafter. Located at Friday Harbor Holistic Health.

For more information or registration visit our website at www.islandrec.org, stop by the Island Rec office M-F, 11am-5pm, or call us at 360-378-4953.

Briggs Lake – Contributed photo

Roche Harbor Trails:  Volunteer trail builder Mike Buettell will lead us on a hike in the Roche Harbor Highlands and around Briggs Lake. 

Distance is 3-1/2 miles. Terrain is gentle wide trails. Dogs on leash are welcome.

Saturday July 28, 1-4 pm
Meet at park at the intersection of Roche Harbor and West Valley Roads.

We are writing in strong support of Alex Ramel as a candidate to represent us in the 40th district. Among his many strengths, he has a proven ability to bring people together to work for specific goals. As one example, he built a coalition to create the Community Energy Challenge, an energy upgrade program which has drawn the participation of more than 2,000 homes and 500 small businesses in the state to save money, reduce pollution, and create jobs.

As a progressive Democrat, he brings motivation and energy to work for the public interest. He was an effective leader in bringing together the slate that took the majority on the Whatcom County Council in 2013 as it opposed the proposed coal export terminal. As an environmental organizer, he has stood with First Nations and provincial leaders in British Columbia to oppose the trans mountain pipeline expansion.

We feel that his perspective, abilities, and experience will represent us well in the 40th district. 

John and Emily Geyman

Here’s SJC Auditor F. Milene Henley with some answers about this year’s election…

This year’s primary election is generating a lot of questions. That’s not unusual; election cycles are long – four years between elections for most positions – and it’s easy to forget what a particular type of election looks like. But this year there really are some new and unusual things going on.

The question we have heard most often this year is: “Why is the Prosecuting Attorney race on the ballot, when there are only two candidates?” The answer lies in state law. All partisan positions in the state appear on both the primary (August) and the general (November) ballots. That rule applies not only when there are two candidates, but also when there is only one candidate. Four years ago, when the prosecutor was unopposed, that race still appeared on the primary ballot.

By contrast, nonpartisan offices appear in the primary only if there are three or more candidates. The confusing thing in San Juan County is that prosecutor is the only partisan office, and therefore the only local office to appear in the primary. When the county’s Charter was adopted, and all other elected positions in the County were made nonpartisan, it was believed that the prosecuting attorney could not be nonpartisan. Since then, the Attorney General has issued an opinion clarifying that the prosecuting attorney can be a nonpartisan office. It would require a change in the County’s Charter to make that change in San Juan County. Continue Reading

At noon on July 24th, 2018 the fire risk in San Juan County will be going from Moderate to HIGH. 

Campfires remain legal as do barbecues. A few reminders to keep you and your families and community safe at this time:

• Have a charged hose nearby at all times to extinguish fires that may get out of control.
• Fires must be attended at all times until they are dead out. (drowned with water and no coals visible.)
• You may be held responsible financially for fires that you light that get out of control and require fire department extinguishment.
• Campfires must be lit in fire bowls or rings or on bare earth. 
• Campfires are for clean, dry firewood. Campfires are not for burning yard debris or garbage, even paper and cardboard products. 
• Before lighting fires, check the weather and make sure high winds are not predicted which could lead to fire being carried away from your designated fire site.
• Be aware barbecues can emit sparks or firebrands that can contribute to fires in gutters that have not been cleaned out or under decks where accumulation of leaves or pine needles may provide ideal fuel to make an unwanted fire. 

Please be safe and check the San Juan County Fire Marshal’s Website for the most up to date burning information. 

http://www.sanjuanco.com/1088/Fire-Marshal

https://www.facebook.com/SanjuancountyFMO/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Lions and LEOs Combine Efforts to Help Fund FHHS Aerospace Design Team Trip

BJ Brandli, LEO Club advisor and member of the Lions Club, presents FHHS Aerospace Design Team member Arlo Harold with two checks totaling $900; one for $500 from the Lions Club and one for $400 from the LEOs Club. 

These funds will help the FHHS Aerospace Design Team, with advisor Dan Garner, fly to compete in the International Space Settlement Design Competition (the ISSDC) at Kennedy Space Center the weekend of July 27.  The team “takes off” for Florida on Thursday, July 26^th and begins competing the next day.  We wish them the best of luck!

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and San Juan County Sheriff’s Marine Unit Offers a Free “Adventures in Boating” Class on Saturday July 28

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary San Juan Islands Detachment and the San Juan County Sheriff’s Marine Unit are offering a free Washington Basic Boater Education Course on Orcas Island. The class will be held on Saturday, July 28, 2018 at the Orcas Ferry Landing Community Room. The class will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required and the class is free.

Everyone wishing to learn or share their safe boating skills as well as review our local boating regulations is invited to attend. Upon successful completion of the course, attendees may submit a copy of their individual “Certificate of Accomplishment” with $10 for issuance of a Boater Education Card by the Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission. Continue Reading

Here’s a letter from Nick Power regarding his candidacy for SJC Prosecuting Attorney…

Nicholas Power – Contributed photo

I’m running for San Juan County Prosecuting Attorney to bring meaningful change to the way the office performs its duties.  

I have lived on San Juan Island with my wife Penelope Haskew and our two daughters Chiara and Alison for over ten years. Penelope is the youth director for San Juan Community Theatre, and Alison and Chiara attend public school. I was first licensed to practice law in 1997 and I have a law office in Friday Harbor and represent clients in an extensive range of civil and criminal matters in both state and federal court.

As prosecutor, I will vigorously prosecute those who threaten the well-being of our community. I am appalled at the proliferation of hard drugs like heroin and methamphetamine. It is common knowledge where drugs are being bought and sold and even the identity of the characters that deal, but no significant action is being taken. I am bewildered that the officials have taken such a lackadaisical approach and have turned a blind-eye to this problem. I have heard first-hand from adults working in the school system that cocaine is now being used in our high schools. By failing to take action we see the consequences in many other forms: overdoses, domestic violence, child neglect, theft, etc. Continue Reading

Did you know that you are more likely to encounter someone in an emotional or mental crisis than someone having a heart attack?  Learn how to help a friend, family member, coworker or neighbor in need. Get trained in Mental Health First Aid. 

Representatives from Consumer Voices are Born, (Diana Porter) and the Family Resource Center (Ashley Strutz) are facilitating a Mental Health First Aid class on Saturday July 28, 2018.  The class is hosted by Christ the King Church and will be held at the Paideia School building at 265 Price street, Friday Harbor, WA.  It is a full day class beginning at 9:00 am.

If interested, please email your intent of joining us to Diana at [email protected] 

For more information, visit www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org

“Banana” is this week’s Pet of the Week – Contributed photo

Hello, World! My name is Banana and I’m new here at the animal shelter. I’m the CEO in Charge of Cuteness here. If you think I’m cute, you should meet my sister, Apricot, the Vice President of Cuddles and my brother, Broccoli, the Superintendent of Toys on the End of a String.

We take our jobs seriously, but we always have time to meet new people and show them our kitten skills. Stop by soon to meet us!

Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor
111 Shelter Road
(360) 378-2158